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He Grooms spring must-have’s #3

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What’s that you say? Well, a good BB cream. BB – Blemish balm for the uninitiated.

Nope, it’s not the private domain of girls’ anymore. Guys get in on the action too.

BB cream is a good grooming product to have and use all year round. A good blemish balm helps to even out patchy skin colour and some even offer additional benefits beyond that, with sun protection and even moisturising qualities.

A great find from a recent trip to men’s grooming mecca aka Seoul is this BB cream Get Ready from DTRT Men. The acronym stands for Do The Right Thing and that’s about as straightforward as it gets. Targeted at men, they are from the same family that gives us Dr. Jart+. The packaging is simple, straightforward, and masculine. The latter quality is important for new inductees to men’s grooming who might feel self conscious buying any men’s grooming product that doesn’t come in a simple looking (boring?), manly black, grey or brown box.

In terms of quality, Get Ready BB cream offers SPF50+/PA+++. It balances skin tone and also moisturises your skin. Armed with Eco-herb complex, it helps to also control sebum so it works well for guys with oilier skin. An added function is that it also lightens your skin tone with consistent use.

There is only one shade available and it suits someone with a light to medium tan complexion. It’s definitely not for those with darker tanned skin as it could result in an unnatural fairness, and you sure do not want to look like you face-plunged into a bag of flour.

Why did this make it into the spring must-have list? Two reasons. One of them is texture. The texture of the Get Ready BB cream is light. Very light in fact. This is perfect for Asian men as we tend to have oilier skin due to the tropical climate and larger pores. A heavy BB cream not only makes our face look greasier but it is also very uncomfortable. A heavy version also potentially clogs pores, hence causing unwanted acne issues. This product provides a light and smooth finish with minimal shine. With its moisturising quality and signficant SPF, it could also double up as a moisturiser for those with really oily skin so they can skip the moisturiser altogether.

The second reason why this is a spring must-have is that this is a gentle product. It is mild to use, and this works well for our Asian male counterparts living in countries with more than just summer all-year-round. Often, most of them experience patchy, flaky skin due to climate changes in humidity and temperature when the seasons transition, especially from the dryer winter to spring. This is especially pronounced for those with sensitive skin. This gentle condition of this BB cream therefore helps ease the skin condition of those affected and gives the skin an overall healthier looking tone and appearance.

To apply, dab little “dots” of the product all over your face and neck (yes, trust me, you do want your face and neck to look like they belong to the same body). Then, using two or three finger tips, gently pat/press to spread those “dots” to cover your face. This application offers a more even distribution, and by dabbing rather than massaging, the product stays on the skin instead of being pushed around. As a last step, warm your palms by rubbing them against each other. Then rest both palms over your face lightly, and apply very light pressure. The body heat from your palms will help “seal” the product to your skin and also facilitates absoprtion, thereby increasing the efficacy of the product.

After that, finish of your look by throwing in a bit of swagger and you’re ready to get out of the door and conquer the world.

Get Ready BB cream from DTRT Men
Functions: Great all-in-one multi-function men’s grooming product – moisturises, controls sebum, lightens, evens skin tone, sun protects (SPF50+/PA+++)
Texture: Light
Suitable for: All skin types, even oily and sensitive skin. Good for humid climates.
Price: Reasonable (could vary in different markets. When bought in Seoul, it was retailed at 25,000KRW)
Overall rating: 3.5/5
Where to buy: dtrtmen.com

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Cologne-in-a-tin: small is good

Alfred Lane Brio Solid Cologne

Alfred Lane Brio Solid Cologne

And someone finally made this for men. Smaller than a box of tic-tac’s yet definitely packing a punch.

Like all things that come in a tin, the packaging channels some old school charm like a good ol’ tin of strong chalky mints. According to information on afredlane.com, the founders Archie Jeter and Rafael Hernandez started Alfred Lane in 2009 and sought to recreate a product that elevated the essence of the true modern man. The products are handcrafted in Chicago, Illinois and with suppliers sourced from the USA.

The cologne-in-a-tin “test-driven” here is named Brio. Stated on the packaging itself were the terms: Vigor and vivacity. I’m not quite sure I felt that but I definitely appreciated the scent. Woody. Musky, Spicy. Just the way it was described and just the way I feel a modern gentleman’s cologne should be.

Solid perfumes are typically produced in very small quantities and hence often, they end up being collectors’ items. They are also known for the longevity of the scent – just think of it as a bottle of fragrance shrunken down into a bite size morsel. In this case, the Brio does not really last that long as initially expected. Re-application is necessary after about 3 to 4 hours. However, this proved to be no hassle at all due to its handy pocket size. It’d fit right into the pocket of your jacket and a weight that’s negligible.

To apply, dip or swirl your finger in the cologne and apply it to pulse points. This simply means literally points on your body where there is a pulse, such as the inner side of your wrist, and behind the ears and neck. The reason is simply because pulse points generate body heat and that helps intensify the fragrance and diffuse/amplify the scent.

He Grooms’ recommendation is to source for a bottled fragrance that’s similar to your final choice of Alfred Lane’s solid cologne, and to then use the solid cologne as a handy touch up on occasions where it may not be practical to bring along the entire bottle of fragrance.